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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29315220">might just touch the sky</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishingTree/pseuds/WishingTree'>WishingTree</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>we'll search for tomorrow on every shore [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Horizon: Zero Dawn Fusion, F/F, Pre-Relationship, and i will cackle madly as they all find it with each other, machine hunting team rwby is here for me, pre-everything really, they're all looking for their Places</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:15:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,962</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29315220</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishingTree/pseuds/WishingTree</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby suddenly went still, holding her hand out to the side, and Yang froze at the signal. The trees around them were quiet, nothing betraying any danger, and then a deep rumbling sound cut through the silence and she paled. </p><p>Well, this was probably bad. </p><p>In which Yang and Ruby get sort of, slightly, only a little bit lost on their way to Meridian, and Yang wants it put down for the record that it isn’t… <em>entirely</em> her fault. </p><p>Horizon Zero Dawn AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>we'll search for tomorrow on every shore [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2260994</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>might just touch the sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I cannot express my love for Horizon: Zero Dawn strongly enough, if you have the opportunity I HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND giving this game a try!!</p><p>For those unfamiliar with HZD:<br/>- It's set a thousand years in the future, post an apocalyptic event, where the world is overrun with dangerous machines<br/>- Snapmaws are machines that resemble giant crocodiles<br/>- Here Ruby and Yang are from the Nora tribe, unrelated to the character of Nora Valkyrie<br/>- A mesa is defined as ‘an isolated, flat-topped elevation, bounded with steep sides’ - the city of Meridian is located on a mesa</p><p>Title from ‘Touch the Sky’ by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams;</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Looking around, Yang was once again struck by how beautiful the world was, here surrounded by sun–dappled trees and vibrant plant life that made up a terrain so different from the valley she had spent her entire life in. Every once in a while a starry–eyed Ruby would spot something she deemed especially lovely and drag her off to get a closer look, and even when they had to hunker down and stealth their way past various herds of machines, it was an amazing thing to experience.</p><p>It was beautiful, but also Yang had no idea where the hell they were.</p><p>See, Yang knew from the beginning of this journey that her geographical knowledge was severely limited. Growing up as an outcast meant that she’d had to be content roaming the restricted areas available to her, and those didn’t exactly provide much freedom to explore. Being granted permission to leave was quite possibly the best thing that had ever happened to her and Ruby, and overall Yang was having the time of her life.</p><p>The only issue they were encountering was that they would sometimes, occasionally, maybe end up being just the slightest bit lost. </p><p>“Yang,” Ruby said, “I think we’re lost.”</p><p>…Like right now. </p><p>Glancing around and grinning sheepishly, Yang continued walking in a mostly random direction. “Maybe we try… this way?”</p><p>For someone who had never left the valley housing the Nora Sacred Land, Yang thought she was doing okay at navigating as they travelled. Her sense of direction wasn’t <em>bad</em>, but she also knew that she wasn’t the best – she hadn’t exactly had much practice, after all. It didn’t come naturally to her, but given enough time she could usually figure it out. </p><p>The most important part, after all, was that she was still better at it than Ruby.</p><p>“Or… that way? This is west, I think.”</p><p>They had been travelling on foot for almost two weeks now, and aside from a handful of small settlements, there hadn’t been very many opportunities to ask for directions. Yang knew that if they followed an established path they’d eventually get <em>somewhere</em>, she just hoped they were following the right one. It was about time they figured out where they were supposed to be.</p><p>She was taken from her thoughts when she heard a rustling sound from the trees to her right, and she stopped, instinctively readying herself and reaching for her bow. They had encountered a <em>lot</em> of different machines since leaving the Sacred Land, and none of them had been particularly friendly. </p><p>“Yang?” At her side, Ruby slowed as well, hand hovering over her own bow as she glanced at Yang in question. </p><p>“I don’t know,” Yang murmured, eyes still scanning their surroundings, “I thought I heard something.” They had been approaching a small lake, visible as the trees thinned out into a clearing around it, and Yang was wondering which route would be better. The path they were on was decently wide and well–travelled, but it was by no means safe, still too far from the city to be patrolled regularly. </p><p>They both listened carefully, but after a few more moments of stillness, she shrugged and let her hands fall. “Sorry, I guess it was just– ” </p><p>Ruby yelped, and Yang whirled around defensively to see a stranger reeling away where she had just emerged from the trees on a collision course with Ruby.</p><p>“Watch where you’re going!” the girl exclaimed indignantly, twigs cracking as she stumbled through the underbrush and created far too much noise for being out in the wilds alone like this. She was slender and angry looking, white hair swept high in an off–center ponytail with a thin scar running over her left eye, and Yang blinked. The expensive Carja armour she was wearing had obviously been altered and heavily customized, but there was no mistaking the look of it. There was a strange sword on her hip in addition to the fancy bow at her back, and somehow Yang got the impression that she wasn’t used to her current situation, whatever that may be.</p><p>“Sorry!” Ruby hastened to apologize, shuffling back to stand next to Yang as she held her hands out, “I didn’t see you coming!” </p><p>“You should be more aware of your surroundings,” the girl huffed, brushing herself off. There was a leaf in her hair, but Yang wasn’t about to tell her that. </p><p>“I mean, you’re the one popping up out of nowhere,” Yang tried to keep her voice level, hoping this girl wasn’t going to keep insulting Ruby but also on guard in case she was some kind of lure for a group of bandits. It was unlikely, given… everything about her, but she didn’t want to take the chance. </p><p>The girl rolled her eyes and looked up, and then she did a double take as she took in their outfits. “You’re both… Nora?” she furrowed her brow, scrutinizing them with a wary look on her face. “I was under the impression that the Nora didn’t leave their lands in the East.”</p><p>“Maybe we aren’t normal Nora,” Yang shot back, very aware of the Seeker’s Mark displayed on her belt but doubting this Carja girl would be familiar with it. “What’s it to you?” </p><p>The girl narrowed her eyes, looking them over appraisingly. “Nothing, really.” She seemed to deliberate, pressing her lips together in a thin line until finally giving a frustrated huff, and Yang raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Just – it’s dangerous out here,” she said crossly, and Yang started to feel a note of amusement. That sounded almost like concern. </p><p>“We can handle ourselves,” Yang declared, hoping she sounded more confident in the statement than she felt. The girl arched an eyebrow, putting a hand on her hip, and then she evidently decided they weren’t her problem.</p><p>“Alright, well…” she nodded sharply, looking them over once more and announcing, “I’ll be on my way.” She turned to go, and that was the exact moment Ruby stilled, holding her hand out to the side with her fingers spread. Yang froze at the signal, instantly on guard, but the white–haired girl didn’t notice, continuing to pick her way out of the underbrush until she glanced back one last time and blinked. “…What are you doing?” </p><p>Before Yang could indicate for her to be quiet, a deep rumbling sound cut through the stillness, and she paled. </p><p>Well, this was probably bad. </p><p>The sound came again, low and threatening, and that was all the warning they got before a large machine suddenly crashed through the trees with a roar, landing so hard the ground shook. It was vicious–looking and moving faster than she would have guessed it capable, a hulking body covered in armoured plating, and Yang scrambled backwards as fast as she could.</p><p>“Snapmaw!” the white–haired girl shrieked, diving to the side as the machine lunged forward, and Yang made a note of the name as she readied herself. She and Ruby had spotted a group of these after they’d passed through Morning’s Watch, but at the time they had managed to skirt around them and avoid a fight. </p><p>That didn’t seem like an option here. </p><p>“Watch out!” Yang cried out, backpedalling in an attempt to get closer to Ruby. It whipped its heavily armoured tail in her direction and she threw herself out of the way, drawing her bow in a practiced motion as she came up in a roll and ignored the sting where she accidentally scraped her knuckles along the ground.</p><p>“Use fire!” the girl shouted from the other side of the machine, nocking a flaming arrow on her bow as she dodged out of range of its snapping jaws, “Any fire ammunition will do!” </p><p>Yelling back an affirmative, Yang grabbed for her fire arrows and nocked two, loosing them into the snapmaw to distract it as Ruby set down a tripwire a few feet away. The familiar motion helped her focus, and she fell into position guarding Ruby’s back easily.</p><p>The machine roared again but didn’t slow, lumbering towards the white–haired girl with its glowing red eyes, and she quickly backflipped away, somehow landing with her feet against a tree trunk and pushing off in the other direction without missing a beat. The snapmaw closed its jaws around the tree and snapped it in half, angrily swinging its head around and sending bits of splintered wood flying in every direction, and Yang grabbed another fire arrow and drew her bow again. </p><p>The white–haired girl was already bombarding it from the opposite side, rapid–fire shots bursting against its armour, and Ruby yelled loudly and waved her arms to grab its attention, trying to draw it towards her tripwire as she backed away. It growled once, shifting in place and giving Yang a terrifying view of its teeth, and she reflexively raised her bow as she ran, following its movements. It lunged for them with its mouth open in a menacing roar, and immediately triggered Ruby’s trap, the tripwire detonating and stopping it in its tracks. It writhed as flames ran along its body, bellowing furiously at the sky, and Yang winced at the scorching waves of heat rolling off of it.</p><p>Skidding to a stop in the dirt, Yang fired again, this time aiming for the blaze canisters she spotted sticking out of the back of its neck. Her aim was true, and when they exploded, the snapmaw was fully set ablaze. </p><p>Breathing heavily, Yang watched as it thrashed around for a moment without lowering her bow, the machine giving her a clear view of the underside of its jaw and what looked like a potential weakness. She was quick to register it, but before she could take a shot the ground shook again and she startled, heart hammering in her chest as she threw herself to the side on instinct.</p><p>A second snapmaw leaped into the fray, barreling straight for them, and Yang’s eyes widened as she kept moving, now separated from her sister.</p><p>“Ruby!” Yang yelled as Ruby scrambled to get out of the way and nearly bowled the white–haired girl over in the process, sending them both sprawling into some tall grass. Watching desperately as the new snapmaw turned towards them, Yang bolted around it with her heart racing. The first burning snapmaw was still alive, clambering up the bank behind the new one, and Yang hurried to holster her bow and pull out her blast sling, digging through her pouches until her fingers closed around a blast bomb.</p><p>Fitting the ammunition into the sling, she made sure to aim for its tail before she loosed it, hitting the far side away from Ruby and the girl so they wouldn’t be caught in the explosion. The blast bomb detonated, causing the first burning snapmaw to collapse, but the other one continued bearing down on its prey. Yang could hear the blood rushing in her ears, and she threw herself into motion. </p><p>“Hey!” she yelled out desperately as she ran, trying to get its attention as she readied another blast bomb, “Over here!” </p><p>The snapmaw opened its mouth, and Yang’s heart jumped into her throat as she raised her weapon and –</p><p>A projectile suddenly flew past Yang’s face without warning, a rope shooting by her and burying itself into the snapmaw’s armour plating. The other end anchored itself solidly into the ground a second later, and Yang reeled backwards. </p><p>“Wha–” </p><p>Another rope followed, yanking the snapmaw down as it roared and strained against the binds, and Yang skidded to a stop as a figure shot out of the trees. </p><p>The person was fast, sprinting around the snapmaw and expertly tying it down as it thrashed in place, and Yang lowered her blast sling, mouth open in surprise. The machine tried to rear away, but it was all but immobilized now.</p><p>Once secured, the stranger quickly stowed her ropecaster and drew a curved Carja blade, not hesitating to step up and stab it directly into the snapmaw’s neck, piercing the exposed machinery where some of the armour plating had been knocked off. The snapmaw shook loudly and roared, sparks flying, and then with one final rumble it crashed to the ground and went motionless. </p><p>The entire area was suddenly quiet, stillness settling around them like the layers of dirt and dust that had been kicked up during the fight, and Yang heaved a shaky breath and slowly let her arms drop to reattach her blast sling back into its holster, automatically moving forward. Her eyes found Ruby first, checking to make sure she hadn't been hurt, and then she turned back to the newcomer.</p><p>She had long dark hair, and her Carja armour was even more modified than the white–haired girl’s, altered and integrating elements that Yang didn’t recognize. She was holding herself with a reserved sort of confidence, cool and edged with something deadly, and Yang blinked.</p><p>“Everyone okay?” the stranger asked, yanking her sword free and blowing some hair out of her face as she turned around. She was breathing hard but didn’t actually look winded, flicking her eyes over each of them in turn, and she seemed satisfied with what she saw. She was also gorgeous, and Yang found herself staring as she tried to get her own breath back. </p><p>Her eyes were gold, and Yang distantly noted that they looked like they were shining. That was because of the sun reflecting off pieces of destroyed snapmaw, right? Or the adrenaline from the fight making her see things, probably. Maybe both. </p><p>Sure. Definitely that. </p><p>“…Yeah,” Yang exhaled, nodding and then giving Ruby another quick once–over where she was making her way towards her. She probably shouldn’t be feeling this breathless either, but she could definitely attribute that one to the adrenaline. “Thanks for the assist.” </p><p>The girl nodded and wiped her sword off on the grass before sheathing it, and then glanced around. “You good?” she asked, turning to the white–haired girl who nodded tightly but didn’t say anything as she got to her feet.</p><p>“That was awesome!” Ruby exclaimed, throwing her arms up and dancing around excitedly. “You’re amazing with that ropecaster! I’ve always wanted to try them but we could never get one, would you recommend it? Obviously you would recommend it, I mean, you did just take down a – ” </p><p>“I’m Yang, and this is my sister Ruby,” Yang cut in, rolling her eyes fondly and reaching out to lower the tripcaster Ruby was still holding. For some reason, her gaze was immediately drawn back to the stranger’s eyes, and she was suddenly desperate to talk to this girl before she vanished as soon as she’d arrived. Ruby nodded along, waving her free hand, and Yang looked at the girl hopefully.</p><p>Was it abnormally warm out here all of a sudden, or was she just imagining it?</p><p>“…Blake,” the girl responded, giving them each another cursory glance before kneeling down next to the closest of the destroyed machine carcasses and beginning to strip it for parts. “You want to get the other one? We’ll split the components.” </p><p>Ruby brightened immediately and scrambled over, obviously eager to get into a new type of machine, and Yang smiled as she began sorting through chillwater and blaze canisters with practiced ease. The white–haired girl was peering over her shoulder curiously, but when she saw Yang looking at her she flushed and turned away, occupying herself with sorting through the remaining arrows in her quiver.</p><p>Wandering towards Ruby, Yang scuffed the toe of her boot against the torn up ground and whistled lowly, surveying the trampled grass and scattered debris. It was a mess, the damage clearly indicative of a fight having happened, though she supposed the two dead snapmaws lying in the middle of it all were probably a giveaway too.</p><p>“Anybody have a preference?” Blake asked them, pulling out a sparker and adding it to the growing pile at her side. Her motions were unhurried but efficient, and even kneeling in dirt and up to her elbows in destroyed machine, she was somehow projecting a regal air to rival any noble Yang had ever met.</p><p>Which, admittedly, wasn’t very many. But still.</p><p>“I don’t need any crafting components,” the white–haired girl said flippantly as they began dividing everything amongst themselves, and Blake shrugged. </p><p>“Okay. At least take the lens,” she offered, turning away from the machine and holding the intact piece out to her, and the girl only stared at it with a bewildered look on her face. </p><p>“You can trade it to a merchant?” Blake prompted after a moment, raising an eyebrow. “You know how that works, right?” </p><p>“Of course I do,” she snapped, swiping the lens out of Blake’s hand, “Honestly, if you knew who you were talking to – ” </p><p>“Oh, I know who you are,” Blake replied easily, voice lilting and amused, “Weiss Schnee, heir apparent to the noble House of Schnee.” </p><p>Yang blinked in surprise and glanced over at her again, taking in her armour and weaponry with new eyes. The only thing she knew about Carja noble families was that there <em>were</em> Carja noble families, but the way Blake said the name made it seem like it meant something big. </p><p>“…Well,” Weiss muttered, staring hard at the lens in her hand, “I doubt it’s going to be that way for long.” </p><p>Yang raised an eyebrow, but Weiss just slid the lens into her pack without elaborating. Her face was carefully blank as she brushed herself off again, and then she adjusted her bow and gave them each a look that kind of made Yang feel like they were about to be yelled at. A long moment passed, and then she brusquely flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned on her heel without another word, marching away and disappearing into the trees.</p><p>“Uh, it was… nice to meet you!” Yang called after her, voice tapering off halfway through the sentence when she realized Weiss was out of sight. “Okay.” </p><p>“You two heading for Meridian?” Blake asked, glancing over with a half–smile on her face. She tilted her head in the same direction Weiss had stomped off in, seemingly amused as she finished with the machine carcass and packed away her share of the components before getting to her feet.</p><p>“Yeah,” Yang replied, lighting up and brushing off her hands, “You too?” </p><p>Blake nodded but didn’t say anything else, meeting her eyes for a moment before she blinked and turned around, setting off without preamble. She moved gracefully, footsteps light, and when Yang glanced at Ruby, she lifted a shoulder in a half–shrug and started following her. </p><p>Together they picked their way through the underbrush, continuing through the trees until eventually it opened up to a riverbank. Blake led the way, for which Yang was grateful, and it wasn’t long before their surroundings began to shift away from wilds and more towards farmland. Yang lifted a hand to shade her eyes from the sun as they moved forward, and in the distance, she could see their first glimpse of the city on the mesa.</p><p>“So, Blake,” she started as they continued walking alongside the river, hoping to at least fill the silence, “Do you often go around jumping into fights and saving people?” </p><p>Blake didn’t give much of an outward reaction, but something about her almost seemed to withdraw. “…No,” she murmured, “Not usually.” Another emotion flashed across her face, something brittle and afraid, but it was gone and replaced with the casual grin before Yang could blink. “You guys were making a whole lot of noise though, it would have been hard to miss.” </p><p>“I think we can blame that on the snapmaws, actually.”</p><p>“So you two aren’t usually so loud and disruptive?”</p><p>Yang laughed. “Depends on what the situation calls for.”</p><p>“How often do situations call for <em>that</em>?”</p><p>“Well we were just on our way to Meridian, minding our own business – ”</p><p>“We were totally lost, actually,” Ruby piped up, uncaring about the scandalized look Yang shot her and speaking over her sputtered sounds of protest, “Had no idea where we were going.”</p><p>“Excuse me,” Yang gasped as theatrically as she could, reaching out to ruffle Ruby’s hair, “Maybe <em>you</em> had no idea where we were going. <em>I</em> was completely fine, and knew exactly where we were!”</p><p>Blake’s small grin was evolving into a full smile, and Yang’s heart did a curious little flip in her chest before her attention was back on Ruby shoving her away.</p><p>“Didn’t seem like it from where I was standing,” Blake countered, amused, “It seemed like you were lost.”</p><p>Yang waved her hand airily. “Not important,” she declared, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a flourish, “What is important is that we all fought amazingly well and didn’t even die. And now we know what a snapmaw is! Very cool. Yay for learning.”</p><p>Blake huffed a quiet laugh, and Yang almost wanted to hold her hand out for a victory high five. She didn’t, because that would probably be weird, but she wanted to.</p><p>“So Blake, where are you from?” Ruby asked, absentmindedly picking stalks of hintergold and slipping them into her medicine pouch as they passed them.</p><p>Blake was suddenly very interested in examining a lopsided tree a few feet away, chewing on the inside of her cheek before responding, “…I’m travelling from Brightmarket.”</p><p>Yang tilted her head.</p><p>“Those are Banuk elements to your armour, right?” Ruby continued, “I haven’t really seen anything like it before.”</p><p>Surprised, Yang glanced over, unsure about what details Ruby was recognizing that she was missing, but the look of hesitation on Blake’s face was enough to tell her that whatever subject they were approaching was a sensitive one.</p><p>“Well, we’re Nora, though I’m sure you’ve figured that bit out,” Ruby told her earnestly, gesturing at herself and then Yang, “We’ve never left the Sacred Land before this trip.”</p><p>It was quiet for a moment, and Yang wondered if their new companion and defacto guide was about to ditch them.</p><p>“I… I’m not from there, but I spent some time up in the Cut recently, in Banuk lands,” Blake said slowly, and Ruby smiled brightly at her.</p><p>“That’s so cool! What’s it like?”</p><p>It took a moment, but Blake seemed to relax again, and Ruby engaged her in a steady stream of chatter that Yang was well–acquainted with. They strolled along in the warm sunlight, following the river, and eventually they came up to the settlement, entering the lively area without issue.</p><p>Glancing around, Yang wondered wistfully what it would have been like to grow up here instead of isolated in the mountains. She didn’t hate her home, not by a long shot, but it was hard not to resent it a little when she had been forced to grow up there as an outcast. Maybe it was all her years of wishful thinking catching up at once, but she didn’t think that was where her and Ruby were meant to be.</p><p>“Welcome to Meridian Village,” Blake announced, sweeping her arm in front of her. There were people scattered throughout the buildings and along the docks, a few groups of children running around, and the occasional cluster of Carja guards keeping watch. They were receiving a few strange looks, no doubt on account of their Nora outfits, but none were outwardly hostile and that was enough for Yang.</p><p>They moved through the bustle of an open market, Yang and Ruby significantly more awestruck than their companion, and Blake led them towards the base of two enclosed lifts that towered over everything, built into the sheer cliff face and presumably leading up to Meridian proper.</p><p>Coincidentally, that was exactly where Weiss Schnee was standing. </p><p>“Are you following me?” Weiss sighed when she spotted them, crossing her arms, and Yang almost laughed at her aggrieved expression. </p><p>“You’re waiting for the elevator to <em>Meridian</em>,” Blake pointed out, “There’s a lot of places to go in Meridian.” </p><p>“That doesn’t mean – ” </p><p>“This is going to take us all the way up there?” Ruby asked, voice almost reverential. She had her head tilted back as she gaped up at the massive structure with its pulleys and gears, and Yang couldn’t blame her. “That is <em>so cool</em>. How does it work?” </p><p>“You’ve never seen it before?”</p><p>“Are there other cities like Meridian that have elevators, or is it just here?” Ruby asked, ignoring the question as she watched the elevator platform approached.</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” Weiss sniffed as the elevator stopped in front of them, and she led the way forward when the doors opened to reveal a decently sized space. “There are no other cities like Meridian.” </p><p>Cautiously stepping inside, Yang glanced around to take it in as Ruby blew past her. </p><p>“Oh, is that it?” Ruby darted around and then skidded to a stop in front of a panel, pointing at the single lever and looking between Weiss and Blake. “Is that how we make it go?” Sticking her face closer to examine it, she whirled back around to face them while bouncing on her feet. “Can I pull it? Can I, please?” </p><p>“Um…” Weiss looked a little taken aback, which was funny considering she hadn’t faltered for a second when facing the snapmaws.</p><p>“Sure,” Blake gave her a lopsided grin. “Go for it.” </p><p>Ruby threw her arms up in a cheer and then grasped the lever, yanking it down and releasing it with a delighted laugh when the mechanisms around them all started to move. </p><p>The doors closed behind them, and Yang gasped as the platform began to rise, instinctively throwing her arms out for balance. Nobody else seemed alarmed, and she marvelled at the feeling, staring at her feet.</p><p>“Yang, look,” Ruby said in a hushed voice, amazement clear as she pressed her face as close as she could to the side of the elevator facing outward the way they had entered. Yang carefully stepped over, curious at the feeling of walking across the moving platform, and her eyes widened when she saw where Ruby was pointing.</p><p>“Whoa,” she breathed, staring out at the horizon. She was no stranger to elevated vantage points, but looking out on Meridian Village and the river beyond was different than the view from the Nora mountains. The sun was high in the sky, casting light over the expansive landscape, and Yang felt breathless again as she took in the sight. The people scattered around on the ground were getting smaller as they rose higher into the air, and Ruby grabbed on to her elbow, face alight with excitement.</p><p>The river glittered where the light was reflecting off the water, and even farther past that was another mesa and a different towering structure, tall and twisting in a way Yang had no name for. She stared as they continued to rise into the sky, dumbfounded at the scenery stretching out in front of her, and the sounds of the elevator clanking faded into the background. Sunlight filtered through the solid beams and supports that made up the elevator shaft, causing shadows and light to pass across the space they were standing, and she was enraptured by the glimpses she was getting, feeling almost giddy. While she knew that rationally it was impossible, it kind of felt like they were rising high enough to touch the sky.</p><p>The elevator eventually shuddered to a halt, and Weiss swept out as soon as the doors opened with a clang, striding with purpose across the wide elevated walkway that connected this platform with the city. It was louder up here, so much closer to actual Meridian, and Yang felt her heartbeat speeding up in anticipation as she prepared to turn away from the skyline. </p><p>“You ready?” Blake asked quietly from her side. She was watching her measuredly, and when Yang nodded, she held her hand out for her to go first.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, Yang lifted her head.</p><p>Stepping out of the elevator and seeing the city of Meridian for the first time was… breathtaking, even from their position outside its walls. She knew her mouth was hanging open and her eyes must be comically wide, but the given the circumstances she figured it was justified. Snagging Ruby’s hood, she had to pull her out of the elevator with her and tear her away from her excited examination of its inner mechanisms, but Yang was confident that there’d be time for that later, as well as many other things to hold her attention. </p><p>As they made their way along the walkway, the noise of the city grew louder and louder, a muted rush of voices and activity getting closer. Yang scanned the scene ahead of her, trying not to let her nerves gain any traction, and she could feel her excitement building. Weiss was stopped at the end of the walkway, arms crossed as she watched their progress and ignored the tentative attempts at conversation from the guard posted there, and Yang grinned, unsure why she found that funny. </p><p>“So we really made it, huh?” Ruby spoke up from her side, and Yang turned to look at her.</p><p>Even though Ruby’s eyes were wide with excitement, she was also fidgeting anxiously with the hem of her shirt, and Yang winced in sympathy. This many people in one place was likely going to verge on overwhelming for her as well, but it must be especially so for Ruby, who was too young to remember their time with the tribe before their family had been outcast.</p><p>“Hey,” Yang nudged her and stepped closer to get her attention. “Let’s focus on finding the Hunters Lodge first, okay? We can explore it all after.” </p><p>Ruby smiled and pressed into her side, drawing her red cloak tighter around herself and burrowing under her arm before nodding resolutely. “Okay. Let’s do this.”</p><p>“You’re looking for the Hunters Lodge?” Blake spoke up, and Yang glanced at her over her shoulder to see her a few paces behind them, one hand resting lightly on the handle of her ropecaster and her expression curious.</p><p>“Yeah!” Ruby replied, beaming at her, and Yang waited for the same sneer of disdain they’d received at so many of the Hunting Grounds. Most people hadn’t exactly been welcoming to them, especially not the other hunters, and though she didn’t think Blake was like that, she couldn’t be sure.</p><p>To her relief, Blake threw them an impish grin instead and drew up to their side, leaning in surreptitiously. “So am I.” </p><p>Her eyes were shining with mischief, and Yang let out a surprised laugh, relaxing and returning the smile. “Guess we’re headed in the same direction, then.” </p><p>“Guess so.” </p><p>Their eyes met and their gazes held, time stretching out between them as the world spun on, and Yang was kind of dumbstruck. Again. It was more mesmerizing than it should have been, and she found herself turning abruptly when Ruby broke away from her side and bounded a few steps ahead. </p><p>“Hey Weiss, we’re going to the Hunters Lodge! Which way are you going?” Ruby called out, and the irritated glare Weiss threw them was almost enough to confirm it. </p><p>“I am also on my way to the Lodge,” Weiss informed them stiffly, half turning away as soon as they reached her. “Now, are you going to pick up the pace or not? It seems we all have business to attend to.” </p><p>“Aw, you waited for us!” </p><p>Weiss sputtered, apparently shocked at the statement that was so clearly accurate, and Yang stifled a laugh as she finally stepped off the walkway, still trying to quell the fluttery feeling in her chest. She really had to get a handle on herself.</p><p>Unfortunately for her dignity, that was the exact moment she tripped, only saved from hitting the ground by Blake catching her arm and yanking her back.</p><p>“You okay?” she asked, grip strong even as her voice rose in alarm.</p><p>“Uh… yeah. Thanks,” Yang flushed, hyperaware of Blake’s hand on her skin. This close together, all she could see was Blake, and she promptly forgot about taking in the magnificent view of the city that had previously been holding her attention. With the way they were standing, the sun was haloing Blake from behind, and Yang felt breathless again. “…Yep. Yes.”</p><p>She got her feet back in order and straightened as gracefully as she could. Blake’s grip was steady, and Yang could see her forearms still smeared with traces of machine. Her hair was blowing gently in the breeze, and this really wasn’t going the way she had planned.</p><p>She hadn’t actually planned anything, of course, but she figured the sentiment was still there.</p><p>“I remember my first time seeing the city,” Blake told her as she carefully let go and took a step back. Lifting her head to look at Meridian, her expression shifted to a strange combination of sadness and longing. “It was absolutely incredible.” </p><p>Yang glanced sideways, and Blake shrugged when she noticed her looking.</p><p>“I just… haven’t been back in a while, is all,” she said.</p><p>Yang nodded, recognizing the reticence and knowing it wasn’t her place to pry. “I’m glad you’ve made it here again,” she offered, and Blake gave her another smile, this one somehow different than the others.</p><p>It kind of felt like something was doing somersaults in her chest, and Yang tried to tell herself it was all because of her excitement about seeing the city. That had to be it, right?</p><p>Weiss cleared her throat loudly from a few steps in front of them, and Yang hastily spun around to face her. “Huh?”</p><p>“Are you two quite finished over there?” she scowled, and Yang grinned sheepishly. Ruby was standing next to her, eyes alight with barely suppressed glee, and Yang made a face at her without thinking, sticking her tongue out.</p><p>“Come on, let’s go!” Ruby laughed, gesturing wildly, “We have so much to see! Look!” Yang couldn’t tell what exactly she was pointing at, but it was in the direction of the city so she knew it had to be good. “Are you coming?”</p><p>Doing her best not to bump into anybody as she followed, Yang hesitated and found herself slowing to glance back and take in the view of the sky one more time. It was still there, still steady and wide and expansive as ever, and it comforted her to know that no matter how far they travelled from home, no matter how many new places they saw, they would always be under the same sky.</p><p>She turned back when Ruby tugged on her sleeve impatiently, only stumbling a little bit as she was pulled along, and then together the four of them entered the city.</p><p>“Hurry up! I want to see – ” she cut herself off, and Yang completely understood why.</p><p>They were immediately bombarded with sights and sounds and motion from all sides, the thrum of the city pressing in around them, and it was alive in a way she had never experienced. It was stunning, and Yang kind of felt like the breath had been knocked out of her.</p><p>This was a <em>city</em>.</p><p>Weiss was striding forward with her head held high, Ruby bouncing along next to her asking questions faster than they could possibly be answered, and Yang made sure to keep an eye on them as she took in as much of the city as she could. Blake was sauntering along easily, keeping pace at her side, and Yang couldn’t stop herself from beaming.</p><p>Maybe for the first time, it felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.</p>
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